


This Isn't Thin Ice (But Please Hold my Hand)

by GettheSalt



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Ice Skating, Inspired by Art, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-03
Updated: 2015-01-03
Packaged: 2018-03-05 02:19:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3101666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GettheSalt/pseuds/GettheSalt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ward takes Fitz on an afternoon ice skate. It turns out to be a little bit more difficult than Fitz originally imagined.</p>
            </blockquote>





	This Isn't Thin Ice (But Please Hold my Hand)

The first sign that maybe, just maybe, Fitz had been overestimating his ability to handle this recreational past time was the arms that locked around Ward's the second they hit the ice. It hadn't mattered that Fitz had been fine in the dressing room. While they'd taken up spots on one of the benches, among families, and groups of friends, and other couples, Fitz had seemed confident in his ability to handle a little afternoon skate. Even though, he said, he hadn't even been skating once in his life. How hard could it be, really? That was what he'd been saying, even as Ward was smacking his hands out of the way and retying his laces, tighter, so that he wouldn't break his ankles once they got out there.

When they had made the walk from the dressing room to the rink, even Ward had his suspicions that the whole affair might be easier for Fitz than previously imagined. He was sure-footed and stable, not even a little wobble to his steps on the cushioned pathway to the arena.

The second he stepped onto the ice, however...

“Bit trickier than you thought, huh?” Ward asked, trying his best to keep the smug tone out of his voice. Trying, and failing.

“I suspect they just resurfaced the ice, is all,” Fitz argued, sounding aloof, as he extracted himself from Ward, standing, albeit shakily, on his own two legs, and taking a tentative step forward. “And these are new skates. I just need to break them in.”

“Uh huh...” Ward looked from Fitz's face to the mittened hand that was dutifully clutching the top of the board next to them. “Sure.”

Fitz glared, clearly unimpressed. Ward held up his hands, gloved fingers spread. “All right, okay. You've got this.”

“I do.”

“So then...” Ward shifted, making way for a family of three skating past. “You want to hold my arm and I'll pull you along until you get the hang of it, or--”

“--No, Grant Ward, I don't want you to treat me like a toddler.” Fitz deadpanned, letting go of the boards, and standing to his full height on the skates. In his truly intimidating winter coat, with its furred hood, and his blue plaid trapper hat, a defiant look on his face. He wasn't exactly inspiring fear or confidence, but Ward would keep that to himself. “Go on, skate, let me break these in, and I'll join you.”

“You're sure?” Ward asked, slowly and carefully.

“Grant.”

Ward raised his eyebrows. “Okay. You got this.” He pushed off on the toe of his right skate, gliding backwards, away from Fitz just a bit. “You wave me over when you're good to skate together?”

“Yes, yes,” Fitz said, waving a hand, looking exasperated. “Go.”

“You got it,” said Ward, pivoting on his blade and skating away.

It was easy to get into the flow of the crowd, around him. Parents with their young children, couples, kids weaving n and out of other skaters. Friends chatting and laughing as they made the laps around. Growing up in Massachusetts had meant that a winter past time like this was like riding a bike for him; he'd never forget. Occasionally Ward would shoot a look around the rink, looking for Fitz. He wasn't moving fast, that much was for sure. He was, at least, moving, but that was about it. He hadn't fallen down a whole lot, of that, Ward could be sure. He was holding on to the boards far too often to fall. The one time he had, Ward hadn't been that far off, and had stopped to help him up. His offered hand had been waved off. Fitz was nothing if not stubborn, and apparently that counted here, too.

After about fifteen minutes of skating alone, though, things got pretty dull. Very boring. It was good cardio, sure, a great workout for the legs, but the whole point of coming together had been to skate together. If that meant that Fitz had to stop being so stubborn, and let Ward offer his arm, well, then, so be it.

First things first, though, Ward had to break that Scottish stubborn streak.

“Hey.” He said, conversational, friendly, sliding up next to Fitz, hands in his jacket pockets. The other was leaning against the boards, clearly scanning the crowd for him. He hadn't expected him to be so close, and his jump made it obvious. “How's it going?”

“Oh, not bad,” Fitz replied, recovering from his little jump at Ward's arrival. “Tired out already?”

Ward snorted, looking him up and down. “Says the one posting up on the boards.”

“I'm not--” Fitz cut himself off, glowering at Ward for a second, before his look softened. “Okay, so, maybe I overestimated how easy this would be...” He muttered, just barely audible over the slice of blades on ice around them and the strains of Top 40 coming through the arena's speaker system. Reaching down, he brushed some snow from his knees. “It's not exactly like walking.”

“Well... No,” Ward allowed, daring to move forward, hooking Fitz's arm with his, and tugging him from the boards. The other spun with him, free arm pinwheeling before he grabbed on to Ward's shoulder. “You okay?”

“That wasn't funny, Grant,” Fitz got out through gritted teeth.

“Wasn't trying to be funny,” Ward said lightly, reaching over to reposition Fitz's hands on his arm, before tucking both hands back in his pockets. “You know, I suggested we come here so that we could have time together.”

Fitz nodded, still frowning, eyes watching the ice in front of them, rather than Ward's face.

“So, I just want you to know that even if that time together is spent with you... holding on to my jacket and having me tug you along, that's good enough for me.”

Fitz did look up, then, frown disappearing into a little 'oh' of understanding.

“You're not going to make fun of me?”

“Well...” Ward smirked a little, shrugging his opposite shoulder. “I think, you know, considering the whole thing where we're kind of _together_ -together? I'm allowed a little... playful teasing.”

Fitz rolled his eyes, but he didn't bother hiding the smile that came to his face. “I'll allow it. Just don't let me fall... again.”

Ward smiled back, tugging him along, enjoying the little gasp and squeeze it illicit ed from the other. “Wouldn't dream of it.”


End file.
